The field is set for the 109th running of the famed Indianapolis 500. For the first time in 43 years, a rookie will lead the field to the green flag in the Indy 500. Robert Shwartzman is that rookie, and he did it with a team that’s new to the grid in 2025, Prema Racing. Let’s jump in and take a look at this year’s Indy 500 picks for the 109th Indianapolis 500, along with the odds for every driver and a few best bets.
“The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” will take place on Sunday, May 25th at 12:30 p.m. ET on NBC. 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Champion Kyle Larson will once again be attempting “the double” by running the Indianapolis 500 in the morning, then getting on a helicopter to fly to Charlotte, North Carolina, to race in NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 that evening. Larson’s attempt in 2024 was foiled by weather, and he chose to complete the Indy 500 and miss the start of a rain-shortened Coke 600. With NASCAR and IndyCar both changing rules this year that won’t happen again, but veteran Tony Kanaan will be ready to jump into Larson’s car if needed. Larson will start 21st.
Two-time Indy 500 champion Takuma Sato and Pato O’Ward will join Shwartzman, who makes his first career start on an oval, on the front row for Sunday’s race. Scott Dixon, Felix Rosenqvist, and IndyCar points leader Alex Palou will make up the second row. Josef Newgarden will start at the rear of the field after a penalty, as he looks to become the first driver in history to win three straight Indianapolis 500s. His teammate Will Power will join him in the back.
Indy 500 Fantasy: The 109th Indianapolis 500 Underdog Fantasy Picks
NASCAR Picks: Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway Odds and Best Bets
Indy 500 Picks: The 109th Indianapolis 500 Odds and Best Bets
Alex Palou +600
Pato O’Ward +600
Scott McLaughlin +900
Scott Dixon +900
Josef Newgarden +1000
Robert Schwartzman +1500
Kyle Larson +1600
Felix Rosenqvist +1700
Takum Sato +2100
Alexander Rossi +2200
Colton Herta +2200
David Malukas +2500
Santino Ferrucci +2500
Christian Lundgaard +2800
Will Power +3000
Marcus Ericsson +3000
Helio Castronoves +3000
Kyle Kirkwood +3000
Conor Daly +3600
Graham Rahal +7000
Ryan Hunter-Reay +7000
Ed Carpenter +7000
Marcus Armstrong +8000
Nolan Siegel +8000
Louis Foster +8000
Rinus Veekay +10000
Christian Rasmussen +10000
Marco Andretti +10000
Sting Ray Robb +10000
Callum Ilott +12000
Kyffin Simpson +12000
Jack Harvey +15000
Devlin DeFrancesco +20000
Indy 500 Picks: The 109th Indianapolis 500 Odds and Best Bets
Pato O’Ward Top 5 (+125)
O’Ward has yet to win an Indy 500, but it’s a race he’s consistently good at. He’s finished second twice in the last three years and top six in four of his five career starts. The one time he didn’t finish well (2023), O’Ward led 39 laps before wrecking while battling for second place with Marcus Ericsson. One thing you know when you bet on O’Ward, he’s going to be in the mix late, and that’s all we need.
Santonio Ferrucci Top 10 (+145)
If you said I could only place one bet on this race, this is the bet I’m placing. The fiery driver for A.J. Foyt Racing has six career starts in the Indianapolis 500. He is six for six in finishing top 10 in this race. Last season, he scored an eighth-place finish. In 2023, it was a career-best third as he landed on the podium. He snuck into the top 10 in 2022 with a 10th-place finish. His first three starts brought results of seventh, fourth, and sixth, respectively. At +450, I’ll grab a little bit on him for a top five as well, and at 25/1, maybe it’s his year to win it all.
Top Finishing Honda Marcus Ericsson (+1400)
If you want something a little longer of a shot, here’s a bet for you. Last year’s race was a forgettable experience for the 2022 Indy 500 champion. He struggled to even make the race and then wrecked on the first lap. However, he did win this race in 2022, and in 2023 was leading with 1 lap to go when they decided to throw the green flag, and Josef Newgarden edged him out.
While he’s no longer with Chip Ganassi as he was for those first and second-place finishes. He’s still with a very respectable team in Andretti Global, which can compete. Eliminating all the Chevrolets in this bet and just going up against the other Hondas, at this number, is worth the shot. Sometimes things happen to the top drivers, like speeding penalties or wrecks. If Ericsson can keep himself in conversation, he’ll have a shot at cashing this one.
Pato O’Ward to Win (+600)
For the same reasons I like O’Ward to finish up front, I like betting on him to win. The Mexican superstar has been so close so many times, and this feels like his year. Some of the bigger challengers from Penske are starting shotgun on the field. They just need to find a little more speed at McLaren than they showed in qualifying. But when it comes to race trim, I have full faith in this team and full faith in Pato to get it done.
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